METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUTTING ARTICLES INTO A QUEUE

The present invention relates to a method of putting articles into a queue and apparatus enabling he method to be implemented. According to the invention, apparatus for putting articles into a queue comprises a plurality of parallel transfer conveyors which are suitable, together or separately, for transferring an article from the outlet of an inlet conveyor to the inlet of an outlet conveyor, between which and in line with which the transfer conveyors extend, and which includes a camera for observing articles on the inlet conveyor and a device for deriving article outline and identity data from images taken by the camera, and a device for selectively actuating the transfer conveyors as a function of the outline and identity data.